Pine Cone Wreath November 26, 2014

The other day I remembered one of my first school projects – a turkey made with a pine cone and a construction paper cutout of my hand. That little turkey decorated our Thanksgiving table until I was well out of high school.

The memory of my childhood pine cone turkey inspired me to head out to the woods around the Garden Home Retreat to collect pine cones to make a wreath that I could use for my own Thanksgiving celebration.

I tried hot gluing the first few pine cones to the foam wreath, but it was difficult to make them stick. So I wired a single ring of pine cones on the wreath to create a base, which gave the other pine cones something to “grab” onto and made the hot glue more effective. If you run into the same problem just wrap a length of floral wire around the pine cone, twist once to secure, then tie the pine cone to the wreath.

Hot glue smaller pine cones to the wreath. Be sure to hold the pine cone in place for a few seconds until the glue starts to set. Don’t worry if the pine cones don’t fit together tightly, you will fill the gaps with sheet moss.

Glue sheet moss to the back side to cover the wires and any glue.

Finish up by poking pieces of sheet moss into the open spaces between the pine cones.

Spray with sealant to help preserve the pine cones and add a little polish.

This wreath is best suited for indoor use, but it can be hung outdoors in an area sheltered from the elements.